Flash light



Oct. 28, 1930. E. LE M. CONNELLY 8 0 FLASH LIGHT Filed Dec. 25, 1926 Patented Oct.:-28,= 1930 EUGENELE mourn CONNELLY, or rrr'rsBUR-GH, :rnNNsY LvANIA v if 7' L A LIGHT f e ipiibationmed December 23',-1926. .Ser ia1;No.156,544.

Thisinvention relates to flashlights and p more particularly to "flashlights"constructed especially 'for' use-by ushers or attaches intheatres, motion; picture house's and other I 5 places of public assemblage where may be necessary or desirable to give information to I and sllently convey the desired message,

others T by a: silent but visible signal."

- Iti's customary in suchplaces,iwhere people are contlfnuallyg coming fandgoing, to havean usherin'the aisle indica'te the numberof vacant seats in any one lot 'bylsignaling to another usher at therearof the theatre and an'object of'this inventionflis to provide a de- These and otherobjects' whichfwill be ap-' parent to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by means of'the'invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

wherein Figural is awviewjn elevation Ora signal flashlight constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention. Fig. 1 I l 2 is a somewhat diagrammatic, broken, lon-' 'gitudinal' sectional view on an enlarged scale ofthedevice shown in'Fig. l. Figs-3 and 4 are top plan and sideelevational views, respectively, of adetail; of the arrangement shownin Fig.2 and Fig. 5 isa wiring dia- I gram showing one'method of arranging the I wiring connections. Flg. 61s avlew 1n ele-' V Vation, somewhat diagrammatic, showing the lighting system.

- he particular embodiment of the present g invention which has been chosen for the pur-' poses of illustratiofnis in the form of a standardflashlight provided with the usual light I circuit controlling button for making or 'breakingconnectionbetween a'battery contained within the casing and a light bulb associated with a lens and reflector in the end of the-casing; Included within one sec-' if H v p I "28 5f positioned so Jas toi-engage' the" center" tion of the casing are a number of light bulbs which areso arranged as to' bevisible-when lighted; Switches are providedfor'controL. 9 ling thelighting of these bulbs and these The battery and-the light housingare scr'ew switches are sofconne'cted to the battery "and the circuits,including the various bulbs, that any desired numberof the latter can be light ed so as to be visiblefrom a distance. It 5 will be apparent that an usher byflashing 5 the correct number of lights can immediately such as the numbe 5f t: seatsppto p p rpersbn. Y e

flashlight embodying the illustrated I making and breaking the-circuit including a I the flashlight 10 asisfwellrknownin thisart; current distributor "15 which is formed from a-block-of .nomconductin'g material has a center termina1'16 engaging the center "t'er minal 17 of the battery and is mounted with in an intermediate expanded portion and distributor housing} 18) connectec'l fbetween the battery housing-l2 and the lighthousing 7 soas toform a part of the'completed casing";

coupledto opposite ends of the intermediate distributor lious'ings'o that the Workingparts ofth'e signalilight can' bereadilyreplaced and repaired. V l p r etallic,current conductingflamp "supporting" rod 19;is *mcuntedvupon the 'disl- V tributor block land electrically ,connectedfto the center terminal 16. A plurality of light s'upporting brackets 20 are mounted in spaced relation' along the rod or barl 9' and elec trica'lly connectedtheretqand each bracket is provided with a'lamp socket BI-f-for receiv H 111g; in- 'thefpresent instance, the 7 four lamps 22', 23, 24 and 25." The 'circuitthroiggh each 1 of the 'signal 'lamps' 10 and -22'-to 25"is' 001 1 9'5 pleted' by conductors "28 28W," 2s'w and basecontactofieachlamp. E'ach conductor conductor and lamp when closed, see Fig. 5.

At least two of the lamps, in the illustrated embodiment the two lower lamps 25 and26,

are preferably connected in parallel so that operation of the single'switch 32 is all that is necessary to signal the presence of two empty seats. The lamp housing 7 is provided with openings or windowsi33,34. 35 and 36 op 0- site the lamps 22, 23, 24 and 25, respective y, through which they are clearlyvisible when lighted. c

'The presence of a single seat is indicated by flashing one of the single li hts 22 or 23 and it is apparent that this can be done by operating either ofthe switches controlling these respective lights, namely, switches 30 or 31, seeFig. 5. Two seats are indicated by operating the single switch 32vwhich passes current through the two lamps 24 and, 25 conin parallel. cated by lighting any three of thelamps and this can most conveniently be done by operat' the two switches 31 and 32 or 30 and 32. All ur lamps can be lighted to indicate four seats by operating the three switches simuL taneously. Itwill, of course, be understood that the flash lamp 10 is used in its ordinary manner and controlled by the usual button 14!; which is independent of the signal lamps and circuits Since the positive terminal 17 of the batter is electrically connected to the bar 19 an thus to the reflector 9', it is necessary, to prevent a short circuit, to form the connection 35 of fiber or some other insulated material, to form the casing 6 of such material, or to provide a fiber washer at the connection 36 positioned between thecasingGand the Although vI have described aiparticular arrangement of elements itcwill be apparent that various changes, additions, omissions and substitutions can be made. therein with out departing from the spirit ofzthisinverttion orv the scope of the appendedclaims.

being provi Three seats may be indi-t the lower ofsaid housings block therein, the upper of said housings being provided with a series of spaced openings, said distribution block having a rod mounted thereon extending longitudinally along said upper housing and having lamp brackets with lamps mounted thereon and disposed therealong, so that one lamp will be visible through each of the openings in said upper housing, means including said rod and brackets for conveying current through said switch contacts to said lamps item the battery, said upper and said lower housin being screw coupled to opposite ends 0 said intermediate housin ,so that the working part'sof saidsigna device can be readily replaced and repaired. I

2. A signal device having in combination a tubular casing provided with a plurality of coupled housin s, the lower of said housi (led with a series of vert' y spaced switch contacts and. being formed for receiving a battery therein, an up r housin screw connected with said lower gising and provided with a series of spaced openings and an open end, a distribution block mounted between said upper and lower housing portions having a rod mounted thereon extending longitudinally alo said upper housing an having 1 ackets. with lamps mounted thereon a dis osed therealong,so that a lamp will be visi e through each of the openings in said housing lamp will be visible through the open of said housing, means includ said 1:

brackets for conveyin currentthrou switch contactsto sai lamps from v bet ter r V lz testimony whereof, I have hereunto suh scribed my name this 21st day of December,

a EUGENE L. 'GONNELLY,

having in combination a 

